2007 Ford KA 1.3L Petrol · EX07 OCC

A nineteen-year-old Ford Ka carrying a structural and suspension-led MOT history stands as the defining mechanical story of this vehicle, with the record showing a clear deterioration in roadworthiness over the most recent three years rather than the clean early pattern. The 2026-03-14 test illustrates this trajectory precisely, as the vehicle returned to the road on the same day as its failure after both Macpherson strut top bearings on the front axle were recorded with excessive wear or free play, classified as Major defects under section 5.3.4 (a) (i). This sits alongside the 2024-03-16 failure, which involved a severely corroded offside rear suspension mounting area at the outer sill and inner wheel arch classified under 5.3.6 (a) (i) as a structural integrity concern, together with a compromised nearside seat belt anchorage at the outer sill under 7.1.1 (a) (i) and an ineffective offside wiper. A 2025-03-22 failure for a coolant fluid leak under 8.4.1 (a) (i) completes a three-year sequence in which every annual test produced at least one Major failure, a notable shift from the clean 2023-03-09 pass and the lightly advisory 2022 test. The recorded mileage of 68,094 miles across approximately nineteen years equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 3,584 miles, which is low for the vehicle's age and suggests a usage profile dominated by short trips rather than sustained higher-mileage running. The MOT records themselves are consistently annual with no obvious testing gaps, indicating the vehicle has been kept on the road throughout, although the low annual mileage raises the possibility of prolonged standing periods between uses. Mechanically, low-mileage operation of this kind tends to allow corrosion to progress on structural seams, sills, and mounting faces faster than mechanical wear accrues on internal powertrain components, and the MOT record aligns directly with that pattern through the corrosion-related Major defects flagged in 2024 and the corroded rear shock absorber casings noted as advisories in 2025. Prospective buyers should focus their pre-purchase inspection on the components that have repeatedly surfaced across the MOT history. The front suspension is a particular priority, as both Macpherson strut top bearings required replacement for the 2026 pass, the nearside front lower suspension arm pin or bush has been flagged as worn in three consecutive annual tests since 2024, and a perished offside front ball joint dust cover was noted in 2024. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, feel for vagueness or looseness through the steering wheel during slow cornering, and check for uneven front tyre wear which would confirm misalignment of worn suspension geometry. The nearside front tyre that was close to the legal limit in 2026 should be inspected for shoulder wear, and all four tyres examined for sidewall cracking consistent with the perishing advisories recorded on previous tests. The corrosion findings warrant equally close attention, particularly around the offside rear outer sill and inner wheel arch where structural strength was significantly reduced in 2024, and the nearside front seat belt anchorage which was first noted as corroded in 2022 before deteriorating to a Major failure two years later. A walk-around inspection should look for fresh welding, underseal patching, or filler around the sills and rear wheel arches that may indicate prior repair, and the lower seat belt anchorage bolts should be checked for tightness and surrounding metal integrity. The coolant leak failure from March 2025 and the persistent oil leak advisory recorded in 2026 together suggest the engine bay has ongoing sealing issues, so the coolant level, expansion tank, and oil should be inspected for residue on cooling hoses, around the cam cover, and at the sump. Finally, the deteriorated rear number plate, defective rear exhaust mounting, and the 2024 wiper failure all point to general under-bonnet and body neglect that is consistent with the broader pattern of escalating defects seen across the recent MOT history.